Soccer Workout Interview With Pierre Barrieu

Work Out With A World Cup Coach

AM: How important is hydration and diet, and what do your players eat and drink before, during and after play?

PB: We have regimented meals and hydration protocols, especially during the World Cup. Our guys get the fluid intake they need, using any of the Gatorade products. For the food, we tend to give these guys the option, and I don’t mean they can eat whatever they want, because they could get fast food. But within the structure of our meals, there’s no getting around that when you run, you need your carbs. They would have a choice of two or three types of carbs, and then the protein. They should stay away from fat as much as possible. We do it in a cafeteria style, knowing all the choices are good options.

pierre barrieu on training during competition

AM: In a tournament like the World Cup, where the national team is playing a rigorous schedule, do the players keep up with training between games, or do they mostly use that time to let their bodies rest?

PB: You cannot do a lot of resting. It would be efficient short-term, but long-term, it would be disastrous. At some point you have to train, so it’s a challenge. It’s a balance between the recovery and regeneration work. Studies have shown that between the first game of the season and the winter break, the fitness level of these players goes down between 15 and 20%. This goes against the usual myth that the game is getting you fit. It’s not that simple. Dynamic stretching before the game and static stretching after helps you become more flexible and less injury-prone. Yoga is the oldest technique of stretching around. I encourage them to do it, because at the end of the day, it’s more flexibility.

AM: Is the Fabio Capello philosophy of no sex or drinking during training universally followed?

PB: No drinking is pretty obvious. You don’t need to be a genius. For the no sex thing, I’m not a doctor, so I don’t know which way is best. To be fair, my guess would be it wouldn’t be the same for every guy. That’s the challenge of being a sports coach — it would work for some guys and not work for some other guys. On our end, we had the family separated from the players. We had visits, because it’s important for the players to have access to the families. On the other hand, we stressed being together and having limited access. This was business. But, it’s all about balance.

where to start your training

AM: What would you say to the average person who’s thinking about getting in shape through a soccer workout? Where should he start?

PB: If it was me, I’d start with the running part. You can be as strong and as quick as the strongest, quickest guy in the world, but the bottom line is you have to move around the field in order to be at the right spot at the right time. Then, your strength and your quickness take over. What’s really overlooked is the amount of running involved. At the youth level, you can see a lot of kids that are runners, looking like they’re good soccer players, but the reason is they’re able to be around the ball more often than other players. If I want to get involved in the sport, to avoid any tough surprises, I’d want to make sure I could run my share before I step on the field.